Grenade floatation shroud holding and releasing arrangement employing plastic connector



3,42 7,973 RANGEMENT R. L. BEERS UD HOL Feb. 18, 1969 GRENADE FLOATATION SHRO DING AND RELEASING AR EMPLOYING PLASTIC CONNECTOR Filed May 6, 1968 INVENTOR, Fay/77006145 flee/ts ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coupling to connect a smoke marker canister and a telescoping outer shroud. The coupling is made of a material that will soften under heat and consists of a member having a set of prongs normally holding the canister and shroud together, but softens under heat of an ignition mix to release the shroud for extension for making the assembly buoyant.

Smoke marker grenades for use in water must have means to provide buoyancy and they usually are of the type having a telescopic shroud on the smoke marker grenade which will extend to provide a buoyant chamber and yet permit burning of the smoke mixture.

Many methods are employed to hold the shroud on the grenade until firing is initiated and are generally successful. Existing metallic methods destroyed many of the required characteristics of the flotation system because methods using metallic parts were heavy, expensive, hard to install and caused instability when the assembly was floating.

The present invention is designed to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages and consists briefly of a coupling of a light-weight, yet strong material such as a high density polyethylene. The coupling is substituted for an existing metal coupling and has a set of prongs inserted into the threaded fuze collar. The prongs are softened by heat from burning of an ignition mix to free the shroud and extend it to provide a buoyant chamber when the assembly is floating in water.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a light-weight, strong and easily installed coupling for connecting a shroud in an unextended position on a smoke marker grenade.

It is another object to provide a coupling of a material that will soften under heat to release a shroud to extend and form a flotation chamber for a smoke marker grenade assembly.

A further object is to provide a coupling between a shroud and a smoke marker grenade in which the coupling is provided with a set of prongs that may be quickly inserted through a threaded collar to retain the shroud securely on the grenade.

It is a final object of this invention to provide a floating smoke marker grenade having greater stability when floating in water.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, and showing the coupling of this invention as assembled;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the coupling; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the coupling and looking in the direction of arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, reference character 1 indicates generally a smoke 3,427,973 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 marker grenade assembly to which this invention is applied.

A smoke marker grenade per se is designated generally by 2 and consists of a canister 3 having a cover 4 which is crimped as at 5 to the rim of canister 3.

A cup shaped container 6 is crimped between cover 4 and the rim as shown and an ignition mix 7 is disposed therein.

Ignition mix 7 is provided with a centrally located cavity -8 for a purpose to be apparent later.

Canister 3 contains a smoke mix 9 which has a central cavity 10 disposed at its upper end to receive a portion of cup shaped container 6 as shown.

A fuze collar 11 is centrally fixed to cover 4 and is internally threaded as at 12.

A tubular shroud 13 is telescopically mounted over canister 3 and is provided with a cover 14 at its upper end. Cover 14 is provided with smoke exit holes 15 which are sealed with tape 16. Cover 14 is provided with a central opening 17.

The coupling of the invention is indicated generally by 18 and consists of a tubular member 19 of a material for example, a high density polyethylene, and having a first flange 20 and an axially spaced second flange 21 integral with its upper end, tubular member 19 being disposed in opening 17 with the edges of cover 14 being crimped between flanges 20 and 21 for securing tubular member 19 to shroud 13.

Tubular member 19 is provided with an axial bore 22, a counterbore 23 and a threaded counterbore 24.

Tubular member 19 is further provided with a reduced lower portion 25 and is cut out at its lower end to form four prongs 26 having inwardly beveled heads 27. An elastic grommet 28 encircling reduced portion 25 provides a resilient support between the shoulder 29 formed by reduced portion 25 and collar 11 as shown in FIG. 1.

A firing mechanism 30 is threadably received in counterbore 24, as shown, and is a standard mechanism including a detonator 31 extending into counterbore 23, an arming handle 32 and a safety pull pin 33.

Bore 22 and counterbore 23 act as flash passageways between detonator 31 and ignition mix 7.

In assembly, shroud 13 with tubular member 19 fixed to cover 14 is pushed over canister 3 and upon its downward travel, prongs 26 are pushed inwardly by collar 11 until heads 27, which are beveled, engage under collar 11 and spring outwardly whereby heads 27 are held under collar 11.

Compression of grommet 28 provides an upward bias on tubular member 19 by shoulder 29, thereby resiliently securing the shroud 13 over canister 3.

Operation of the grenade is typical. Pull pin 33 is withdrawn and the grenade is thrown or dropped, thus releasing handle 32 to initiate firing of detonator 31.

Detonator 31 fires ignition mix 7 through flash passage 22 and the heat generated thereby softens the prongs 26. Ignition mix 7 also ignites smoke mix 9 and the compression of the combustion gases generated extend the shroud 13 to provide a chamber whereby the grenade will be buoyant and float in water,

Smoke from the combustion will exist through holes 15, the tape 16 being blown off by compression.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a smoke grenade including a canister, a smoke mix in said canister, a cover on said canister, an internally threaded collar fixed centrally in said cove-r, a tubular shroud telescopically mounted over said canister, a cover closing the upper end of said shroud and a firing mechanism fixed centrally in said last named cover, said firing mechanism including a detonator extending into said shroud; means for releasing said shroud from a locked position relative to said canister comprisby said coupling normally biasing said coupling upwardly 5 from said collar and ignitable means supported below said coupling in said canister and adapted to be fired by said detonator whereby said coupling is released from said collar to permit said shroud to extend and form a chamber above said canister whereby the buoyancy of said grenade will be increased when floating.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said deformable coupling comprises a tubular member having a reduced lower portion defining a shoulder, a pair of spaced, integral flanges at its upper end for engagement with said cover on said shroud, there being an internally threaded counterbore at its upper end for detachable connection with said firing mechanism, said lower portion having a series of longitudinal slots forming a series of prongs, an inwardly beveled head integral with the lower portion of each said prong, said heads adapted to be pressed through said collar and spring outwardly to engage under said collar and lock said shroud on said canister and a resilient means associated with said coupling and said collar for stabilizing said coupling relative to said canister.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said resilient means stabilizing said coupling comprises a rubber grommet encircling said reduced lower portion and biasing between said shoulder and said collar whereby said coupling is urged upwardly when assembled to prevent excessive play of said shroud on said canister.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ignitable means comprises a cup shaped contained supported on said canister and disposed below said cove-r thereon and containing an ignition mix, said ignition mix being adapted to be fired by said detonator to initiate firing of said smoke mix in said canister.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said detonator, said coupling and said ignitable means are arranged in axial relation with said smoke mix in said canister.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,978,641 10/1934 Martin l0235 2,114,213 4/ 1938 Clauser 102--7 2,328,916 9/1943 Le Comte 98 2,334,211 11/ 1943 Miller l027 2,362,553 11/1944 Hitt l02-65 2,366,261 2/1945 Hitt 98 2,814,249 11/1957 Brennan et a1 l027 BENJAMIN A, BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

6 JAMES FOX, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 98 

